As has been practice in recent years, Northern Lehigh School District has chosen not to offer an early retirement plan for its eligible professional employees.

On a 6-1 vote, the school board on Monday turned down approval of the adoption of the plan for the 2016-17 school year. Director Robert Keegan Jr. voted in favor. Directors Gregory Williams and Debra Bower were absent.Before the board’s vote, Superintendent Michael Michaels told the board that he was not in favor of the board approving the proposal, which was open to all eligible professional employees on a voluntary basis.Michaels said he’s opposed to the plan because he would hate to see the district encourage its great teachers — many of whom are the longest tenured in the district — to leave when they still have so much to offer.Director Gary Fedorcha said he voted against the measure because he agreed with Michaels.However, Fedorcha said that in the future, he’s going to ask that the district start looking at possibility of some other kind of incentive.Fedorcha said doing so not only may be able to save the district some money, but also improve the chances for younger people looking for teaching jobs to find work.Other businessIn other action, the board:• Accepted the retirement resignation of Cathleen Rowlands from her position as high school cafeteria worker, effective the end of the work day, Nov. 30, 2017, after 28 years of service to the district.• Approved the appointment of Dakota Miller as Slatington Elementary School sixth-grade teacher, replacing an employee on family medical leave, at a salary of $46,875 prorated, effective Oct. 24, with a termination date upon return of the full-time teacher.• Approved the following substitute teachers for the 2016-17 school year: Dakota Miller, elementary; Mary Frank, art K-12 and English as a Second Language; Katie Slater, elementary PK-4, and special education K-8; Matthew Allen, Brianna McMichael, April Mujevic, Jacqueline Schwartz, Patricia Sottolano, Dawn Turrito, and the Rev. Robert Zweifel, as CLIU guest teachers.• Approved Lori-Beth Guelcher as an unpaid volunteer aide in the Peters and/or Slatington Elementary School, and middle school, for the 2016-17 school year.